Leor Galil,Reader staff writer
Emily Reo, Olive Juice (Elestial Sound) I’m in awe of Boston experimental pop artist Emily Reo, who can make lovely, intimate music by layering what sounds like chintzy toy-keyboard percussion with warm, slightly frazzled synth notes and her gentle multitracked vocals. Her new Olive Juice is glistening, gorgeous, and comforting, and “Wind” and “Happy Birthday” are among my favorite songs of the year.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
The end of festival season I’m sad I’ll be packing away my jorts and saying good-bye to summer, but I’ll be grateful that I won’t be spending another weekend at a music festival this year. After a few months, the crowds, the heat, the revolting porta-potties, the hustle to catch overlapping sets, the schedules marked up with assignments, the sets spent craning my neck—it’s all taken away some of my pleasure in watching live music, and at times made me feel more misanthropic than I actually am. With fall coming, I look forward to looking forward to going to shows again.
Kriss Stress, founder of Notes & Bolts and the Chicago Underground Music Archive
The World Underground John Yingling has been setting an amazing precedent for all us documentarian types over the past several years. First he was covering all the good stuff going down here in Chicago; then he migrated to Missoula and started pulling the same tricks there. Now he’s going to China to launch his World Underground project, documenting the DIY sounds being made in that country’s underbelly. I can’t wait to see what he captures—and what scene he starts on next!
Gazelle Twin, Mammal (Sugarcane) My favorite track is “I Turn My Arm,” where Elizabeth Walling’s detached vocals celebrate the bodily decay that accompanies aging. I’m drawn to her exploration of complex themes with sparse lyrics and dissonant sounds. The EP includes several remixes—some beat heavy, others ethereal—that thoroughly transform the meaning of the originals.
